Frogner Park | Vigeland Sculpture Park Oslo Norway

Frogner Park. Just beautiful, if ever in Oslo you must visit. I did!

Maren Eliasdatter Stene

 My grandfather, Paul, immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century. He no doubt had the "Amerika fever" as did many of his family before him. The mid 19th century saw many, many of my Norwegian family coming to the United States for a better life.

 My 4X removed cousin, Maren Eliasdatter, married John Johnsen in 1862. They and their two boys, John and Christopher, left Verdal Nord-Trøndelag and immigrated to Grant county Minnesota. The couple had another boy in Minnesota, Anneus (Andrew).

John Johnsen Stene 1830-1885, Maren Eliasdatter 1832-1888
Anneus Edward Stene 1872-1960

In Minnesota the family dropped their patronymic names and took on the name of their farm in Norway. The farm Stene. This photo is in the collection of my 5th cousin, a DNA match!

1920 Norwegian Census - Oslo Norway

 The 1920 Norwegian Census is the latest that is released to the public. Here I find my grandmother Dagmar working as househelp in the home of Thorvald Richardt the "director of the research council". I am not sure what that title entails but it sounds impressive doesn't it? She is working in Kristiania (now known as Oslo). The story Grandma told me was that a friend of hers from her home town was working in Oslo and told her she could get her a good job there if she wished. She had had a fight with her boyfriend Harald and stomped off to Oslo in defiance. Harald's friend, my future grandfather Paul, followed her there and the rest is history.

1937 Visit to Skien, Telemark, Norway

 

On a 1937 visit to my grandmothers family in Norway my grandfather, Paul Sevald, poses with his father-in-law Nils and two of his brothers-in-law, Frithjof and Sigvold.

Johannes Johannesen signs a contract to go to Chicago.

Emigrating from Norway to America was a fairly involved process. The Norwegian emigrant would sign a contract with an agent. That agent would, for a price, arrange the trip every step of the way, from Norway to England to the U.S. and to the final destination. They would meet the emigrant at the takeoff point giving them instructions and tickets for each step of the journey. An additional agent would meet the emigrant at each stop along the way insuring a safe and correct journey to the final destination.

This is the contract signed by my cousins grandfather, Johannes Johannesen, 22 years old. He was known in Chicago as John Johnson. As kids I remember him as "Old Man Johnson".

CONTRACT
between

CUNARD LINIEN (The Cunard Steam Ship Co. Ltd.
and passengers listed below regarding Carriage
to Chicago (Cook) Illinois for Kr. 199.00
and Johannes Johannesen age 22

I, Ivar Grotte, Chief Agent for Cunard Linien, hereby undertake to convey the persons mentioned herein to the Determining Office for the above-mentioned Sum, which I acknowledge to have received as full payment.

The journey must take place as follows:

1. From Bergen on 6/3 1907 on or about with Midship Steamer in Mellemdæk to Hull.

2. By rail from there to Liverpool.

3. By Midship Steamer from Liverpool to New York.

4. By Rail from New York to Place of Destination.

Bergen on 5/3 1907

signed Ivar Grotte

Presented at the Police Chamber on 5 March 1907 for the Chief of Police
Official stamp and signature of the Police Chamber

Note that 199 krone would buy approx. $53 dollars worth of goods in 1907. A hefty amount no doubt for a poor Norwegian.

Johannes Severin Johannessen (John Johnson)

b. 7 Sep 1884 Sandviken, Bergen, Norway

d. 8 Jun 1971 Chicago, Cook, Illinois USA

**click on contract to enlarge for easier viewing on your computer**

p.s. If Johannes had left Norway a decade or so later his journey would have been less involved as Norwegian steamships left for the New World directly from Norway eliminating the need to first travel to Liverpool for a cross Atlantic trip.

Norway Timeline: A Journey Through Norwegian History

I am always interested to know a bit more of the history of  Norway to perhaps understand better the lives of my Norwegian ancestors.  

An article written by David Nikel from his "Life in Norway" blog. 
I follow and highly recommend his informative and interesting blog.

click here → Norway Timeline: A Journey Through Norwegian History